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Sunday, 10 May, 1998, 23:15 GMT 00:15 UK
Q & A: Arms-to-Africa scandal
Who knew what and when?
The British Foreign Secretary's offer to quit if he is found to have acted wrongly in the growing arms-to-Sierra Leone scandal is the latest twist in the controversy.
It revolves around alleged official approval of preparations for a coup to topple a military junta which ousted the troubled west African country's president 12 months ago.
How did the controversy come about?
The mercenary company, based in London and headed by the former Guards officer Tim
Spicer, is accused of breaching a UN resolution by arranging for a shipment of
35 tons of Bulgarian-made AK-47 rifles to Sierra Leone.
A key part of Sandline's defence is that it kept Foreign Office officials and
Whitehall defence intelligence staff fully informed of the operation.
Foreign Secretary Mr Cook says neither he nor fellow ministers had that information passed to
them. In order to underline his probity he has offered his resignation - while
stressing that he has done nothing wrong.
What happened in Sierra Leone in the first place?
On May 25 last year the democratically-elected president was ousted by army
officer Johnny Paul Koroma. Kabbah fled to the capital of neighbouring Guinea
and began to seek international support for his restoration.
Where does Sandline fit into this "restoration" project?
Lt Col Spicer, it is claimed, was contacted by Saxena and allegedly flew out to Guinea to
prepare a feasibility report last July. Kabbah then allegedly contacted him in
December to ask for help in obtaining arms and helicopters.
How did the British Government become involved in that?
The company alleges it was given the "green light" for the arms shipment to
supply the Kabbah militia by the British Government, which in turn denies that
any such approval was given.
What was illegal about the arms shipment?
The arms consignment was bought by Lt Col Spicer and flown from Bulgaria by
chartered aircraft to the Lungi airfield in Sierra Leone - allegedly with
British consent and in breach of the embargo.
To make things worse, the shipment immediately fell into the hands of Nigerian
forces instead of being distributed to Kabbah's fighters.
Nigeria, which is controlled by a ruthless military regime, was recently
suspended from the Commonwealth as part of the Government's new ethical foreign
policy.
What other involvement did Sandline have with the counter-coup?
Did the British Government have anything to do with the helicopter?
Ministry of Defence officials say the helicopter was assisting only after the
coup. The aircraft's role was to help West African military forces to bring
humanitarian relief.
What is being done to get to the bottom of all this?
A British minister at the centre of the row, Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd, was
questioned by the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee last week.
An internal inquiry into what Foreign Office officials knew and why ministers
were not informed has been ordered by Mr Cook.
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